


New Friends

by AgrippaSpoleto



Category: Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Voyager
Genre: Friendship, Gen, Hopeful Ending, Mild Angst, Other characters mentioned - Freeform, Post-Canon, Voyager has returned home, starfleet being overly careful
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-24
Updated: 2019-12-24
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:47:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,559
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21918565
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AgrippaSpoleto/pseuds/AgrippaSpoleto
Summary: The Alpha Quadrant is strange and Starfleet complicated. But Naomi Wildman is not as alone as she thought.
Comments: 7
Kudos: 21
Collections: Star Trek Secret Santa 2019





	New Friends

**Author's Note:**

> This work is part of this year's Star Trek Secret Santa exchange on Tumblr.  
> Happy Holidays, doodlingleluke. I hope, you enjoy my little gift!
> 
> I wish you all a nice and unhurried holiday time and a good start into the new year!

Naomi sat on the floor next to the wardroom, her arms drawn around her legs. The corridors of the Enterprise felt chilly to her, a stark contrast to Voyager. She knew, she wasn't supposed to be here, but she hadn’t been able to just sit by in some bare and unfamiliar quarters while strangers decided Seven’s fate. Her mother and Aunt Kathy were part of the assessment as well, but it still galled Naomi, that she wasn’t allowed to speak for Seven. No, she was supposed to wait with some counselor. Bah. If she couldn’t be part of the assessment, she would at least sit out here.

“Excuse me, Miss. Can I be of assistance?”

An unknown voice derailed her thoughts. Naomi looked up and met a pair of yellow yet gentle eyes. This must be Commander Data, the Android. She had investigated the crew of the Enterprise as soon as she had learned about Starfleet’s plan to assess Seven. Of course she had stumbled upon the Commander.

“No, thank you, sir. I’m fine”, said Naomi with a confidence she did not feel.

“I am sorry, but children are not allowed in this part of the ship. Please allow me to escort you back to your quarters”, the Android stated calmly.

Damn.

“That is not necessary. I have permission.”

Naomi used her most authoritative Captain’s-assistant voice. The one that made aunt Kathy rise her eyebrow and smile fondly. Funnily, it made Commander Data’s rise as well. He seemed sceptical, though.

“You are Naomi Wildman, are you not?”

The way he phrased the question and the cadence of his voice brought her back to another moment in time.

_«Naomi Wildman, subunit of Ensign Samantha Wildman. State your intentions.»_

She nodded, suddenly feeling more tense.

“Counselor Troi is most certainly looking for you.”

“Please, don’t tell her where I am. She’ll make me go back to my room. I can’t stay there.”

Commander Data looked at her for a moment. It was difficult to read his expression.

“Why do you wish to remain here? It is very uncomfortable.”

Naomi sighed and pointed to the door of the wardroom.

“I should be in there. But they won’t let me. Because they think I’m not old enough.”

Something was playing out in the Android’s face and seemed to come to a conclusion. He tapped his combadge.

“Data to Counselor Troi.”

The girl flinched and glared at him.

“ _Yes, Data?”_

“I just wanted to inform you that I’ve found Miss Wildman and that I shall remain with her.”

The woman on the other end of the comm link let out a breath of relief.

“ _Thank all the holy rings of Betazed. Where are you?”_

Naomi was already formulating a plan to escape again as Data continued.

“In front of the wardroom. But I think it would be advisable to allow her to remain here.”

For a moment the link remained silent.

“ _Are you sure?”_

“Yes, Counselor. I will remain here with Miss Wildman, if that is acceptable to you.”

“Fine. But I will come by later to check on you. And I will expect to find both of you there.”

The Android turned to Naomi and she nodded. As long as she could stay.

“Acknowledged. Thank you, Counselor.”

The Android joined her on the floor. He sat somewhat stiffly, but it seemed to Naomi as if he really wasn’t. For a moment they remained silent, but then she thanked him quietly.

“I observed you and I came to the conclusion it would be more upsetting for you to leave than to stay.”

He fell silent for a second and then looked at her questioningly.

“May I ask you a question?”

Noami nodded.

“Why do you wish to be here? Your presence outside of the door has no influence over the proceedings inside.”

She thought about his question for a moment.

“It makes me feel less helpless, I guess. I can’t be in there, but at least I’m doing something.”

A familiar anger came up again. One she had felt quite often in the last few days.

“Why do they think they have the right to decide if Seven is dangerous or not? They don’t know her!” she spat.

Data only moved his head to the side and said: “As I understand, your mother and Captain Janeway are speaking of her behalf.”

“Why can’t I?” Naomi interrupted.

“Adult Humanoids have more experience. They can assess situations better than children.”

The girl narrowed her eyes.

“But I have known Seven since she has come on board. She has been my friend for years. Why does my experience not count?”

She scoffed.

“I hate this. Other’s deciding what you can or can’t do.”

Data nodded.

“It is a sentiment I can relate to. People often assume they need not treat me like they do any other sentient being. I may not feel emotions as you do, but I wish for respect just as much as any sentient being. I think, adults want to protect their offspring and assume their children need to be protected.”

“What do they want to protect me from? How untrusting Starfleet is towards Seven and Maquis members of Voyager? Spoiler alert, I already know.”

Data leaned a bit closer to Naomi.

“Starfleet is not perfect. A few of their scientists once wanted to dismantle me to create more androids. But the process would have resulted in the loss of my programme, my personality. But Captain Picard defended my right to live.”

The girl stared at him, appalled.

“Didn’t that make you angry?”

“I am an Android. I don’t feel emotions without my emotion chip. The scientist thought he was doing the right thing. Captain Picard proofed him wrong.”

“I hope, he does the right thing now.” She said quietly, nervously plucking at her skirt.

At this moment a woman with curly hair turned around the corner. Naomi recognised her as the Counselor. At first she looked mildly annoyed but as soon as she saw the two of them sitting on the floor she smiled relieved.

“Is there some space for me as well?”

Naomi scooped closer to Commander Data and the Counselor sat down next to her.

“I’m sorry I made you worry, Counselor”, said the girl sheepishly.

“Please, call me Deanna. Luckily for you, Data caught me right before I was going to call your mother. Since you left this in your quarters.”

Deanna opened her hand and gave Naomi the communicator, the girl had purposely left on the living room table. She took it guilty.

“I’m sorry for causing trouble.”

“It is fine. You are worried about your friends, I understand that. The Alpha Quadrant has changed a lot since Voyager disappeared. There has been a terrible war. A lot of civilians died. People are scared. Starfleet wants to make sure they are safe and that they feel safe.”

“But Seven is not dangerous!” exclaimed Naomi.

“I believe you and so do many in Starfleet. But they do have to make sure everyone else can believe it as well. It will be safer for Seven if nobody is scared of her.”

Deanna took Naomi’s hand reassuringly.

Naomi raised a sceptical eyebrow.

“So, you’re saying by being assessed by the Borg’s greatest enemy – besides Aunty Kathy of course – people can believe Seven is no threat.”

Deanna thought about her answer a second.

“Yes. Just don’t call Captain Picard ‘the Borg’s greatest enemy’ to his face. He won’t like that.”

Data interjected: “According to my calculations a positive outcome of the assessment proceedings will have a considerable impact for Seven of Nine’s acceptance in the general public.”

Naomi looked at the Android and the Counselor and deflated a bit.

“It is perfectly fine to be upset. So much has changed in such a short time. It is normal to need time to...” Deanna explained, only to have the sentence finished by Naomi.

“Adapt.”

“Yes, adapt.”

“I miss Neelix, my godfather. We left him in the Delta Quadrant. It is strange not having him here.”

The Counselor squeezed her hand.

“It is normal to miss him. You probably always will. No one will and has to take his place. But you will meet new people and they will have different places in your heart.”

Naomi nodded and grabbed Data’s hand with her own unoccupied one.

“I think, I already made a new friend.”

The Android smiled brightly and the Counselor laughed as well.

“Data is a very good friend. I’m very happy to count him as one of mine.”

Deanna groaned a bit and rubbed her backside.

“How about I treat you to a real hot chocolate in Ten Forward. It is only two corridors away, but a lot more comfortable.”

Naomi looked at Data.

“Can Commander Data come too?”

“If he has no important duties to perform, I don’t see why not.”

Deanna got up, quite inelegantly. The Android arose as well with a lot more ease than the Counselor.

“I would be honoured, Miss Wildman.”

Naomi took his hand again and turned to Deanna.

“Alright. But only because I’ve never had the opportunity to try real chocolate before.”

Deanna smiled and indicated the direction to Guinan’s bar. While Naomi knew she wouldn’t be able to fully relax till the end of the hearing, at least she didn’t have to wait alone anymore.


End file.
